Taylor Moscatiello and Jordyn Levefque both of Troy wait to be Interviewed for the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que at the Best Western Franklin Inn in Troy.(Mike McMahon / The Record) 09/07/10

TROY -- Despite construction delays that have twice pushed back its opening, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que began holding open interviews Monday to fill the approximately 180 positions needed to staff the restaurant.

The popular barbecue chain, which also has locations in Syracuse, Rochester and New York City, had originally been slated to open next month, after a projected mid-summer opening was postponed due to construction delays.

Now, the restaurant probably won't open its doors until late October or early November, said General Manager Brian Lomnicki.

Dinosaur will operate out of the old Fresno's location at 377 River St.

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Across the street at the Best Western Franklin Square Inn, dozens of applicants waited for their turn to interview on Monday, a response that Lomnicki said has been overwhelming so far.

"Today is huge. We haven't had time to tally our numbers, but we could exceed two to three hundred today," he said as he surveyed the crowd. "It's a very large-scale hiring, and we're definitely excited with the turnout this morning."

Lomnicki said there was no one quality he was searching for among applicants, not even restaurant experience, so much as he wants someone whose personality meshes well with the management staff and who wants to be a part of the Dinosaur experience.

"We're looking for everything," he said. "We don't guarantee in this industry overtime, but you can expect to work 35 to 40 hours a week, especially when you first open a restaurant. It's very intense. But our wages are very competitive, if not better than some restaurants in the Capital District, and (we want) hard-working individuals who just want to have fun."

That idea appealed to Allen Taylor, of East Greenbush, who works as a cook for Riverfront Bar and Grill in Albany during the summer. Because Riverfront is only open for part of the year, Taylor said, he's looking for a job that can occupy him during the winter months.

"It's just a new opportunity," he said. "It's not your regular franchise, and it's new to the area, new people."

In addition to putting its signature Dinosaur stamp on the city, Lomnicki said that the Capital District would leave its mark on the restaurant by way of contributing local food and produce, reused building materials like windows and wall panels, as well as hiring a distinct local workforce.

The promise of so many jobs attracted multiple unemployed applicants, like Jason Gregoire, of Watervliet, a self-described "jack of all trades" who said he would gladly do anything the folks at Dinosaur needed.

"It's close to home, and I like barbecue food," Gregoire added. "I don't know anybody who doesn't, unless they're vegetarian."

Lucy Gonzalez, of Troy, another unemployed applicant, had previously worked as a cook for the Salvation Army and hoped to find a similar position at Dinosaur.

"I like to be around food, I cook a lot at home, so that's like my forte," she said. "I like to be around the kitchen."

Referencing the promise of providing employment for people like her, Gonzalez was happy to see a business like Dinosaur take a chance on Troy, regardless of the outcome of her interview.

"Even if I don't get hired, there are other people out there that do need jobs, and this is a really great opportunity," she said.

That's exactly what Lomnicki and the Dinosaur crew are hoping to bring to the area.

"It's a great location, and I know that with Troy trying to do a revitalization in this area, it's gonna fit perfectly," he said.

Interviews run through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and will continue for the next two or three weeks.